Railway traffic controlling apparatus



1958 J. E. MCMAHON, JR

- RAILWAY TRAFFIC CONTROLLING APPARATUS Filed Dec. 22. 1953 5 a 1 3 3 m g g M \(7 w. T S I MR1. M ,H a M W m .w E Qfifl m. m $95 m g n m k: Q m m E m m MMR m Nu I a N: m a Y fi H QR r M m wj 9R mN A R M United States Patent 2,856,516 RAILWAY TRAFFIC CUNTROLLING APPARATUS James E. McMahon, Jr., Penn Township, Allegheny County, Pa., assignor to Westinghouse Air Brake (Jon pany, Wilmerding, Pa., a corporation of Pennsylvania Application December 22, 1953, Serial No. 399,654 4 Claims. (Cl. 246-6) My invention relates to railway trafiic controlling apparatus, and in particular to apparatus for remotely controlling a traflic controlling device such as a railway block signal.

Railway signals are placed along the wayside of a stretch of railway track in order to control traffic movements over the stretch. Such signals may be automatically or manually controlled. Automatic signals are usually employed along stretches where traflic is sufiiciently heavy to warrant an automatic installation. Where the need for automatic signals is not indicated but the need for some form of block control is required, manual signals may be used. Frequently, it is desirable for various reasons to control such manual block signals from an existing control tower remotely located from the signal.

One object of my invention is to provide inexpensive apparatus for remotely controlling a railway traflic controlling device.

Another object of my invention is to provide railway trafiic controlling apparatus employing only two line wires for remotely controlling a traflic controlling device.

A further object of my invention is to provide simplified, inexpensive apparatus for remotely controlling a railway signal and for providing indications at the control location of signal and traffic conditions, the arrangement employing only two line wires, and the line wires being selectively energized from either end of the line in order to perform the control and indication functions.

According to my invention, I provide a trafiic controlling device at the entrance end of a track section included in a stretch of railway track. Associated with the track section is a track circuit including a track relay. I pro vide a first control relay and a second polarized control relay at the location of the device. At a control location remote from the device, I provide a trafiic control lever and first and second indication relays. In addition, means for indicating the trafiic conditions in the section and the condition of the trafiic controlling device is also provided at the control location. The trafiic control lever is a three-position lever and controls a pole changing means in its first and third positions. Extending between the two locations is a pair of control conductors. Means controlled by the second control relay and the lever is provided for supplying energy from the device location to the first control relay and the first indication relay over the control conductors. Furthermore, means controlled by the lever, the pole changing means, the first control relay and the track relay is provided for supplying energy from the control location to the second indication relay and the second control relay over the control conductors. Means for controlling the trafiic controlling device is controlled by the second control relay. The indication relays control indication means.

The accompanying drawing is a diagrammatic view of railway trafiic controlling apparatus for controlling a railway signal in accordance with my invention. It will be W0, and energy understood that the use of a signal as a traffic controlling device in the following description is purely for illustrative purposes and is not intended to restrict my invention to signal control apparatus.

Referring now to the drawing, a stretch of railway track made up of the track rails 1 and 2 is: provided with an insulated track section 7T by means of insulated joints 3 in the rails. Track section 7T has associated therewith a trafiic controlled relay 7TR responsive to traffic conditions in section 7T. As here shown, relay 7TR is a track relay included in a track circuit supplied with energy from a suitable energy source, here shown as a track battery 7TB. Trafiic normally moves over the stretch in the direction indicated by the arrow, that is, from left to right.

Located at the entrance end of section 7T is a signal 78. Signal 78 is controlled by a signal control relay 7HDR. Relay 7HDR is of the type commonly referred to as a polarized relay. Such a relay has both neutral contacts which pick up whenever current is flowing through the relays operating winding and a polar contact which operates to the position corresponding to the direction from which current is flowing through. the operating winding and once in that position, will remain there until the direction of current flow is reversed. Also provided at the signal location is a control relay 7RGZR and a repeater relay 7RGZPR.

Located at a control location T remote from signal 78 is a traific control lever having three positions, a lefthand or lposition, a center or 0 position and a right-hand or r position. Associated with lever K are a plurality of contacts 4-11, here shown as circles with a reference character therein corresponding to the lever position in which the contact will be closed. There will also be found at control location T a lever repeater relay 7NLPR, a track indication relay 7NLTPSR and a signal indication relay 7RGPR. Relay 7NLTPSR controls a track occupancy indication means here shown as an indication lamp L2 and relay 7RGPR controls a signal indication means here shown as an indication lamp L1, both indication means being located at the control location T.

Extending between the two locations is a pair of con trol conductors, here shown as line wires 15 and 16. Energy is supplied at the signal location by a battery WB having a positive terminal WX and a negative terminal is supplied at the control location by a battery EB having a positive terminal EX and a negative terminal EO.

As shown in the drawing, the arrangement is in its normal condition with which section 7T is unoccupied and lever K is in its center or 0 position. Under these conditions, relay 7TR is energized, and relay 7NLPR is also energized, the circuit for this latter relay being obvious from an inspection of the drawing. Relay 7RGZR is energized in series with relay 7RGPR over a stick circuit which may be traced from positive terminal WX of battery WB, over back contact a of relay 7HDR, the winding of relay 7RGZR, front contact a of relay 7RGZR, line wire 15, front contact a of relay 7NLPR, contact 5 of lever K, the winding of relay 7RGPR, contact 9 of lever K, front contact c of relay 7NLPR, line wire 16 and front contact b of relay 7RGZR to negative terminal WO of battery WB. The above traced circuit includes a back contact of relay 7HDR. The reasons for this relay being deenergized at this time will become clear as this description proceeds. With relay 7HDR deenergized, an obvious circuit including back contact 0 of relay 7HDR is closed for supplying energy to red lamp R of signal 78. Red lamp R is therefore lighted so that signal 78 is displaying its stop aspect. With relay 7RGZR picked up an energizing circuit for relay 7RGZPR is completed passing from positive terminal WX of battery WB, front contact c of relay 7RGZR and the windinozra willremain picked up.

ing of relay 7RGZPR to negative terminal WO of battery WB. With relay 7RGPR energized indicating lamp L1 is energized over an obvious circuit including front contact a' of relay 7RGPR. Therefore, lamp L1 will be lighted to thereby indicate that the apparatus is conditioned for signal 'Z-S. to display its stop or red aspect which, as was heretofore shown, is the aspect signal 75 is displaying at this time. With lever K in its position and relay 7NLPR picked up, a circuit will be established for energizingrelay 7NLTPSR which circuit may be traced from positive terminal EX of battery EB, over Contact 8 of lever K, the Winding of relay 7NLTSPR and front contact b of. relay 7NLPR tov negative terminal E0 of battery EB. With relay 7NLTPSR picked up, a first stick circuit for this relay is, established, which stick circuit is similar to. its energizing circuit except that it includes front contact a of relay 7NLTPSR instead of contact 8 of lever K. With relay 7NLTPSR energized and picked up, an obvious energizing circuit for indication lamp L2 is open at back, contact b of relay 7NLTPSR and lamp L2 is therefore dark. With lamp L2 dark the leverman at the control location is informed that section 7T is unoccupied.

Now let it he assumed that the leverman desires to clear signal 73 to its, proceed or green aspect. The leverman will move lever K to its righthand or 2' position, thereby opening the energizing circuit forlever repeater relay7NLPR at contact 4 of lever K. Therefore, relay 7NLPR will release and open the previously traced stick circuit for relay" 7RGZR in series with relay 7RGPR at front. contacts a and c of relay 7NLPR as well as at contactsS- and 9 of lever K. Accordingly, relays 7RGZR and 7RGPRv will release. The release of relay 7NLPR will also open at its front contact b the previously traced energizing and stick circuits for relay 7NLTPSR. This latter relay, however, is made sufiiciently slow releasing so that it will retain its front, contacts closed during the interval required for relay 7NLPR to close its back contacts, and as soon as back contacts a and c of relay INLPR become closed another stick circuit for relay 7NLTPSR will become. closed, which latter circuit may be traced from positive terminal EX of battery EB, over front contact a of relay 7NLTPSR,the winding of relay 7NLTPSR, contact 6 of lever K, back contact a of relay 7NLPR, line wire 15, back contact a of relay 7RGZR, front contact aof relay 7TR, the winding of relay 7HDR from left to. right, front contact b of relay 7TR, back contact b of relay 7RGZR, line wire 16, back contact 0 of relay 7NLPR and contact 10 of lever K to negative terminal E0 of battery EB. It will be noted that this latter circuit includes the winding of relay 7HDR in series with the winding of relay 7NLTPSR. Accordingly, relay 7NLTPSR will remain energized and relay 7HDR will become. energized in such a manner that its neutral contacts a, b and, c. Willpick up and its polar contact d will be. operated to, its normal or left-hand position. Upon the. release of relay 7RGZR, relay 7RGZPR will become deenergized. However, this relay is also a slow. release relay, and it is made sufficiently slow releasing so that it will retain its front contacts closed under these conditions until, the neutral contacts of relay 7HDR become closed. When this happens a second branch of the energizing circuit for relay 7RGZPR including front contact b of relay 7HDR becomes closed. Accordingly, relay With relay 7HDR now in thecondition in which its neutral contacts are picked up and its polar contact is in its left-hand or normal position, the previously traced energizing circuit for red lamp R of signal 75 is interrupted, so that red lamp R becomes extinguished, and a circuit passing from positive terminal WX of battery WB, over front contact c of relay 7HDR, left-hand contact 01 of relay 7HDR and green lamp G of signal '78, to negative terminal WO of battery WB is established. Accordingly, green lamp G of signal 78 will become. lighted and signal 78 will display its proceed or green aspect and traffic may move past signal 78 at maximum permissive speed. Furthermore, with relay 7RGPR now released, lamp L1 will become deenergized thereby indicating to the leverman that the apparatus is no longer in a condition to hold signal 78 at stop.

in the event that with the lever K in its 0 position, the leverman decides to cause signal 75 to display its permissive aspect, rather, than its proceed aspect, the, operator will move lever K to its left-hand or 1 position. With lever K in its l position it is obvious that contact 4 of lever will be open and relay 7NLPR will therefore release and relays 7RGZR and 7RGPR Will also release. Relay 7NLTPSR will also be momentarily deenergized but will remain picked up due to its slow release characteristic. With lever K in its 1 position a third stick circuit will be established for energizing relay 7NLTPSR connected in series with relay 7HDR which circuit may be traced from positive terminal EX of. battery EB, over front contact a of relay 7NLTPSR, the winding of relay 7NLTPSR, contact 11 of lever K, back contact 0 of relay 7NLPR, line wire 16, back contact b of relay 7RGZR, front contact b of relay 7TR, the winding of relay 7HDR from right to left, front contact a of relay 7TR, back contact a of relay 7RGZR, line wire 15, back contact a of relay 7NLPR and contact 7 of lever K to negative terminal E0 of battery EB. Accordingly, relay 7NLTPSR will remain energized and relay 7HDR will become energized in such a manner that its neutral contacts a, b and 0 will pick up and its polar contact d will be operated to its reverse or right-hand position. With relay 7HDRs neutral contacts picked up, relay 7RGZPR will remain energized over the second branch of its energizing circuit including front contact b of relay 7HDR. With relay 7HDR in the, described condition, the circuit for the red lamp R of signal 75 will be interrupted so that this lamp will become extinguished and a circuit passing from positive terminal WX of, battery WB, over front contact 0 of relay 7HDR, reverse or right-hand contact 0! of relay 7HDR and the yellow lamp Y of signal 75 to negative terminal WO'of battery WB will be established. Accordingly, yellow lamp Y of signal 78' will become lighted and signal 7S will display its permissive or yellow aspect. Furthermore, with relay 7RGPR deenergized, lamp L1 will become deenergized thereby indicating to the leverman that the apparatus has been conditioned to cause signal 78 to display other than its stop aspect.

Let it now be assumed that lever K is in its right-hand or r position thereby causing relay 7RGZR to be released along with relay 7NLP-R, and relay 7NLTPSR to be energized in series with relay 7HDR so that the polar contact d of relay 7HDR will be in its left-hand position. Relay 7RGZPR will be picked up. Therefore, signal 78 will display its proceed or green aspect as previously described and indication lamps L1 and L2 will be dark. Let it further be assumed that a train or vehicle enters section 7T. Upon the train or vehicle entering section 7T, its I wheels and axles will shunt track relay 7TR causing it to release and open the previously traced. energizing circuit for relays 7HDR and 7NLTPSR connected in series. Accordingly, after a short time 'delay afforded by the slow release characteristics of these relays, relays. 7HDR and 7NLTPSR will release. Upon relay 7HDR releasing it will open the second branch of the energizing circuit for relay7RGZPR, but relay 7RGZPR will now be energized over a third branch of its energizing circuit including back contact c of relay 7TR. Accordingly, relay 7RGZPR will remain picked up. With relay 7HDR released the energizing circuit for the green lampv of signal 78 will become open at front contact 0 of relay 7HDR and the previously traced energizing circuit for red lamp R of signal 78 willnow be closed, thereby causing signal 78 to. display its stop or red aspect, Furthermore, with relay 7NLTPSR now released the obvious energizing circuit for lamp L2 will become closed over back contact 12 of relay 7NLTPSR and, accordingly, lamp L2 will become lighted to thereby indicate that a train is occupying section 7T. Upon lamp L2 becoming lighted, the leverman at location T will move lever K from its right-hand or r position to its center or 0 position thereby reestablishing the obvious energizing circuit for relay 7NLPR which will pick up. The changing of the position of lever K and the picking up of relay 7NLPR will have no other effect upon the arrangement at this time, and, accordingly, as long as the train remains in section 7T the apparatus will remain in the condition described.

Upon the train vacating section 7T and occupying the section in advance of section 7T, relay 7TR will pick up, thereby opening the third branch of the energizing circuit for relay 7RGZPR. After a short time delay afforded by the slow release characteristic of relay 7RGZPR, relay 7RGZPR will release to thereby establish an energizing circuit for relay 7RGZR which circuit may be traced from positive terminal WX of battery WB, over back contact a of relay 7HDR, the winding of relay 7RGZR, and back contact a of relay 7RGZPR to nega tive terminal WO of battery WB. Therefore, relay 7RGZR will pick up. With lever K in its center or 0 position and relay 7RGZR now picked up along with relay 7TR, the previously traced circuit for energizing relay 7RGPR conected in series with relay 7RGZR will once more become established and relay 7RGPR will pick up. Furthermore, with relay 7NLPR picked up and lever K in its 0 position the previously traced energizing circuit for relay 7NLTPSR will become reestablished and relay 7NLTPSR will pick up thereby establishing its previously traced first stick circuit in multiple with its energizing circuit. Of course, at this time relay 7HDR will be deenergized since its energizing circuit is open at several points. Relay 7RGZPR will become reenergized over the first branch of its energizing circuit including front contact c of relay 7RGZR, thereby opening the energizing circuit for relay 7RGZR which will now remain energized over its stick circuit including the winding of relay 7RGPR. With relay 7HDR remaining deenergized, signal 78 will continue to display its stop or red aspect. With relay 7RGPR again energized, lamp Ll will become lighted thereby indicating that the apparatus has been conditioned to cause signal 78 to display its stop aspect. Furthermore, with relay 7NLTPSR reenergized, lamp L2 will become dark thereby indicating that section 7T is no longer occupied. In this manner the apparatus will become reestablished in its normal condition.

It will be obvious that when lever K is in its 1 position and signal 78 is displaying its yellow or permissive aspect, when a train moves through section 7T the apparatus will operate in the same manner as it does when the signal displays its proceed or green aspect; that is, upon the train entering section 7T, signal 78 will display its red aspect and lamp L2 will become lighted. Lever K may then be moved to its 0 position and the arrangement will reset in a substantially identical manner as that previously described when the train vacates section 7T.

Let it now be assumed that with lever K in its r position and with signal 78 displaying a proceed aspect, a train enters section 7T and shunts relay 7TR causing it to release as previously described. Therefore, signal '78 will commence displaying its stop or red aspect. However, let it now be assumed that the leverman at location T fails to move lever K back to its center or 0 position upon lamp L2 becoming lighted in order to place the arrangement in condition to reset upon the train vacating section 7T. Upon the train vacating section 7T, relay 7TR will pick up to thereby open the third branch of the energizing circuit for relay 7RGZPR, thus causing that relay to release as previously described. With relay 7RGZPR released, the previously traced circuit including back contact a of relay 7HDR and back contact a of relay 7RGZPR for energizing relay 7RGZR will become established. Accordingly, relay 7RGZR will pick up and close its front contact 0 to thereby reenergize relay 7RGZPR.

With relay 7RGZPR reenergized, the previously traced energizing circuit for relay 7RGZR will become open at back contact a of relay 7RGZPR and relay 7RGZR will release since its previously traced stick circuit which includes the Winding of relay 7RGPR will remain open at several points. Upon relay 7RGZR releasing, relay 7RGZPR will once again become deenergized and will release to thereby reestablish the energizing circuit for relay 7RGZR. Accordingly, relays 7RGZR and 7RGZPR will commence what may be termed a pumping action if the leverman fails to move the lever K to its center or 0 position. It will be seen that as long as this condition persists, relay 7HDR cannot become reenergized since its energizing circuit will be open at front contact a of relay 7NLTPSR and, therefore, signal 73 willcontinue to display its stop or red aspect. Accordingly, even if the leverman fails to control the signal in a proper manner, signal 78 will not clear up and will continue to display its stop aspect which is the signal aspect relay 78 should normally properly display. In this manner it will be seen that signal 78 cannot erroneously display a proceed aspect or its permissive aspect in the event that the leverman fails to operate lever K properly. Furthermore, with relay 7NLTPSR deenergized, lamp L2 will continue to be lighted, thereby giving an indication to the leverman that something is wrong with the arrangement.

It will be obvious that if signal 78 is displaying its permissive or yellow aspect when a train enters section 7T, if the leverman at location T fails to return lever K from its 1 position to its 0 position while the train occupies that section, when the train vacates section 7T the same operation of relays 7RGZR and 7RGZPR will result as that previously described, and signal 78 will continue to display its stop or red aspect. It will also be clear that with the leverman failing to return the lever K from its left or 1 position to its center or 0 position, relay 7'NLTPSR will remain deenergized as described previously and lamp L2 will continue to be lighted, thereby indicating to the leverman that something is wrong with the arrangement.

Although I have herein shown and described only one form of my invention, it will be understood that various changes and modifications may be made therein within the scope of the appended claims without departing from the spirit and scope of my invention.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is:

1. In apparatus for controlling from a remote control location a traific controlling device governing trafiic movements over a stretch of track and for providing indications at the control location of the condition of said device and of traflic conditions in advance of said device, said stretch being provided with a track section immediately in advance of said device; a. trafiic controlled relay associated with said section and governed by traffic conditions in said section, a first control relay at said device location, a second polarized control relay at said device location, said first and second control relays jointly controlling said device, first and second indication relays at said control location, a trafiic control lever having first, second and third positions and located at said control location, a pair of control conductors extending between said control location and said device location, pole-changing means controlled by said lever in its first and third positions, means effective only when said second control relay is deenergized and said lever is in said second position for at times supplying energy from said device location to said first control relay and said first indication relay over said control conductors, means controlled by said pole-changing means and said trafiic controlled relay and effective only when said first control relay is deenergized for at other times supplying energy from said control location to said second control relay and said second indication relay over said control conductors, control means for said device controlled by said second control relay, signal indication means controlled by said first indication re- 7, lay" and traffic indication means at said control. location controlled bysaid second indication relay.

2. In combination with a stretch of railway track provided with a track section, said track section having associated therewith a track relay; control apparatus comprising a traific control lever, a track indication relay, track occupancy indication means controlled by said track indication relay, first and second control relays, a repeater relay controlled by said first and second control relays and by said track relay; means for controlling said first control relay controlled by said second control relay and said repeaterrelay, a signal indication relay; means controlled by said second control relay, said first control relay and said lever for controlling said first control relay and said signal indication relay; a second indication means controlled by said signal indication relay; means controlled by said track indication relay, said' lever, said first control relay and said track relay for controlling; said track indication relay and said second control relay; and control means controlled by said second control relay.

3. In combination with a stretch of railway track provided with a track section, said track section having associated therewith a track relay; a trafiic controlling device located at the entrance end of said section, apparatus for controlling said traffic controlling device comprising a traffic control lever having first, second and third positions, a track indication relay energized when said lever is in said first or third position, track occupancy indication means deenergized when said track indication relay is energized, a first control relay, a repeater relay, a second control relay, means effective when said second control relay is deenergized and said repeater relay is deenergized for energizing said first control relay, means effective when said first control relay or said second control relay is energized or said track relay is deenergized for energizing said repeater relay, a signal indication relay; means effective when said second control relay is deenergized, said first control relay is energized and said lever is in said second position for energizing said first control relay and said signal indication relay; a second indication means for indicating the condition of said traflic controlling device and energized when said signal indication relay is energized; means effective when said track indication relay is energized, said lever is in said first or third position, said first control relay is deenergized and said track relay is energized for energizing said track indication relay and said second control relay, and means controlled by said second control relay for controlling said trafi'lc controlling device.

4. In combination with a stretch of railway track provided with a track section, said track section having associated therewith a track relay; a traffic controlling device located at the entrance end of said section, apparatus for controlling said traffic controlling device comprising a traffic control lever having first, second and third positions, a track indication relay, means including a contact closed when said lever is in said first or third position for energizing said track indication relay, track occupancy indication means, means including a back contact of said track indication relay for energizing said track occupancy indication means, a first control rela a repeater relay, a second control relay, means including a back contact of said second control relay and a back contact of said repeater relay for energizing said first control relay; means including in multiple a front contact of said second control relay, a front contact of said first control relay and a back contact of said track relay for energizing said repeater relay; a signal indication relay; means including a back contact of said second control relay, a front contact of said first control relay, and a contact closed when said lever is in said second position for energizing said first control relay in series with said signal indication relay, a second indication means, means including a front contact of said signal indication relay for energizing said second indication means; means including a front contact of said track indication relay, a contact closed when said lever is in said first or third position, a back contact of said first control relay and a front contact of said track relay for energizing said track indication relay in series with said second control relay, and means controlled by said second control relay for controlling said trafiic controlling device.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

